Avalon

When it comes to big sedans, few can come close to matching the unique arsenal of traits that the venerable Toyota Avalon brings to the table. Focusing on providing comfort and borderline luxury to its owners, the Avalon is a key name in the large sedan segment. But with schools of CUV and SUV models circling this iconic segment like sharks, the Avalon faces turbulent waters in its quest to remain true to its virtues. Despite this (as well as the success of its own utility offerings) Toyota is still keen to be a key player in the sedan segment, …

Some say Toyota is like a Cruise Ship – once it starts moving it takes a while for it to make a turn. We say not so, in the last couple years, under the direction of new management to create a sportier, livelier, more-fun-to drive product. We’ve seen model after model, from Camry to Corolla, get some sharp new duds, make sharp new moves, and surprise a lot of people. And nothing is more surprising as the all-new 2019 Avalon. Bad Grandpa Not in the bad-not-good sense, but in the bad-is-awesome sense. Once the poster car for our seasoned citizens …

The 2017 Toyota Avalon Hybrid Limited is a very stylish car loaded with safety equipment and great fuel economy. It’s only blemish is simply bad timing with the ultra-hot truck and SUV market seeing customers buying other types of vehicles at a startling pace. After receiving a facelift in 2015 and now with a new 2019 model on the way, the 2017 model should represent a bargain for consumers. Here’s why. On the outside, the Avalon represents the older way of designing Toyota vehicles with a more muted front-end and blended style from front to rear. Newer Toyota styling has …

When it comes to hybrid vehicles, Toyota knows their stuff. The Prius has been around for decades now, and have constantly improved them with each new makeover. It is the best-selling hybrid of all time. So as the company expanded their hybrid offerings to many of their other models, customers can feel comfortable enough to buy these larger vehicles in hybrid form. I couldn’t wait to see how their full size Avalon, which I enjoyed in its gasoline version, would stack up. The verdict? It’s a wonderful hybrid car too. We tested the 2017 Avalon XLE Premium, which slots …

There is real buzz around the brand-new 2017 Kia Cadenza. Car reviewers near and far have been shocked by its lux feel and right-priced tech. Are they right? We spent a week in the loaded Cadenza Limited to find out. Hard on throttle and chucking it around corners… and honestly expecting the worst. After all, it is a hard time for near-luxury sedans. Cars like the Maxima, Avalon, Lacrosse or Chrysler 300 are suffering from low sales and a crowded marketplace. Meanwhile, the deeply unfun Lexus ES still hoovers up sales for reasons no one truly understands. How can Cadenza …

2016 Toyota Avalon Touring Review By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman We recently tested a 2015 Toyota Avalon, the first Avalon we had tested in quite a few years. And the full size car impressed us with its roominess, performance, and its luxury look and feel. But before I had a chance to write the review, the 2016 model became available, so I decided to wait a little bit, and write about that one, to also report on the subtle changes for the 2016 model year. This year, the Avalon’s grill gets a bit larger, and sports a little downturn at the …

Few automotive market segments have such a tightly defined target market as full-size sedans. And unlike minivans, SUVs and even musclecars, the real-life buyer profile of large cars is almost always this core set of consumers. The full-size sedan buyer is in their mid-50s, seeks limo-large back-seat space, and wants the latest premium tech. All with a price cap of $40,000. For their cash, full-size sedans typically deliver a huge bump in roominess versus their mid-size siblings, but sometimes with unintended consequences. After all, it is extremely tough for even the best carmakers to pack S-Class tech into a half-price …

The 2016 Toyota Avalon is refreshed for Chicago including a number of tweaks to the current style and trim levels, plus a loaded Touring trim to top the model line with sporty dark-grey wheels and grille. All 2016 Avalons benefit from enhanced chassis tuning — with the suspension now delivering a better sport and comfort ride compromise than the current model. Shifted a bit too far toward sporty springs in its 2012 refresh, the Avalon in this generation was never too happy either cruising or handling tight bends at speed. We hope the new model addresses this unhappy handling …

Toyota is really on the pulse of culture and style like never before: the best-selling Camry and Corolla have been tweaked for added coolness just ahead of the Chicago Auto Show. There is also a revised 2016 Avalon on the agenda: with tweaked LED designs, updated chassis tuning and a bit of cabin sprucing all likely. Sporty and enthusiast preferences are reflected in the new Camry and Corolla Special Editions – creating the trendy and chic style that guys and gals like us have used to aftermarket to achieve. But as ever, buying a Camry or Corolla can be done …